I prefer visiting the Mediterranean countries in spring or fall and I travel north of the Alps in summer. We happen to be here in August. And it's hot. Winter travel is a whole different scene.
And it comes with pros and cons too: flights are cheaper, museums are empty, and the high culture-symphonies, opera and so on-is in full swing. But in the winter it rains more and gets dark early-especially in the north; and many activities and sights are closed, or run on shorter hours. While small towns, outdoor sights, and resorts can be sleepy; big cities are vibrant and festive throughout the year http://casino-games.my/casino/. By the way, while Europe has little violent crime; it comes with plenty of petty purse snatching and pickpocketing. European thieves target Americans-not because they're mean, but because they're smart. We're the ones with all the goodies in our day bags, wallets, and purses. There are all kinds of scams. Remember: thieves don't dress like thieves. Thieves can be mothers with babies in their arms and fast-fingered children at their sides. Thieves work to distract you. They'll spill something on you or shove a cardboard sign in your face, and so on. You're not likely to get mugged, but if you're not careful, you could get pick pocketed or purse snatched. How can you foil thieves without feeling like you're constantly on guard? A great way to handle this problem is to zip up and secure your valuables. I like to wear a money belt. It's a nylon pouch you tie around your waist and tuck in like your shirt tail. In it, you carry just your essentials so you can wear it comfortably all day long. For instance, I keep my drivers' license, a couple of credit cards, my passport, my big money, and my train tickets. As an added precaution, before my trip, I email myself all my important personal information. Venice and Siena are wonderful cities, but they're very popular. Throughout Europe, I make a point to venture beyond the famous stops. In Bosnia, watch daredevils jump from a bridge rebuilt after the war...In England, climb your own private peak...in the north of Spain, you can join the pilgrims on the route to Santiago. I love the charm of the Cinque Terre-five remote and traffic-free villages wedged in the most rugged bit of the Italian Riviera, trying to hide out from today's modern world as they did from pirates centuries ago. Each town is a character. This is Vernazza. While this stretch of coast was an exciting discovery for me 30 years ago, it's pretty touristy now. And that's the case with much of Europe. But Europe still has its untouristy corners. And, even in popular places like this, you can still find your own back doors. Venture away from the spiffed-up commercial zones. Explore. Vernazza has no modern hotels, and that's actually good news. It keeps away the high-maintenance travelers-those who demand all the four-star comforts. You can sleep in humble pensions, move in with families renting out spare rooms, and enjoy the classic small town Riviera experience. Whether the place is touristy or not, you can always connect with the locals. Offer to catch a line... And leave the crowded main street. Support the local entrepreneurs. Rick: Come si chiama? Children: Conchiglia. Rick: Conchiglia. Shell in English. Quanto costa? Children: Due ori. Rick: Due ori, OK. Good. Grazie. Ciao. Years ago, the language barrier was a big problem. But today's Europe is increasingly bilingual-and English is its second language. These days it seems any place interested in your business speaks your language. While it's nothing to brag about, I speak only English and manage fine. Still, a few tips help. It's rude to assume everybody speaks English. To be polite, I start conversations by asking, "Do you speak English?-Parlez-vous anglais? Sprechen Zie Englisch?" Whatever. If he says no, I do my best in his language. Generally after a couple of sentences he'll say, "Actually I do speak a little English." Okay, your friend is speaking your language. Do him a favor by speaking slowly, clearly. Enunciate. No slang, no contractions, internationally understood words. Instead of asking for the restroom, ask "toilet?" Instead of asking, "Can I take your picture?" point to your camera and ask "Photo?" Make educated guesses and proceed confidently. This must be a pharmacy. And at the station, this sign shows trains arriving and trains departing. Communicate with a curiosity and an appetite for learning. In Europe, each region has its own gestures. There's also a gesture for; I'm tired of carrying my bags. Whether you're battling crowds or exploring the back doors there's only one way to avoid this. Packing light is essential for happy travel. Think about it: Have you ever met anybody who, after five trips, brags, "Every year I pack heavier"? Learn now or you'll learn later the importance of being mobile with your luggage. Pack light. While large, unwieldy suitcases are bad for this kind of travel, smaller, carry-on sized wheelie bags are popular and can work well. If you don't mind slinging your suitcase over your shoulder, a bag like this works great. This is a convertible suitcase/backpack. It's designed to be as big as you can carry onto most airplanes. I use it as a backpack but if you zip away these padded shoulder straps, it converts into a soft-sided suitcase. You'll see all kinds of travelers and bags on the road. Remember, you'll be walking a lot with your bags-especially if traveling by train. Before your trip, try this test. Load everything up, and go downtown. Window shop for an hour with all your gear. If you can't do that comfortably, go home, spread everything out on the living room floor, and reconsider. Pick up each item one at a time and look at it. Ask yourself, "Will I use this swimming mask enough to justify carrying it around?" Not "Will I use it?" It'd be great fun here on the Riviera. But will I use it enough to feel good about carrying it through the Swiss Alps? Frugal as I may be, I'd rather buy it here than pack it all around Europe. Don't pack for the worst scenario. Pack for the best scenario and if you need something more, buy it over here. If you run out of toothpaste, that's no problem. Then, you've got a great excuse to shop around over here... and pick up something you think...might be toothpaste. You can get virtually everything in Europe. If you can't get one of your essentials here, perhaps you should ask yourself how 400-million Europeans can live without it. Whether traveling for two weeks or three months, I pack exactly the same. Everything I need fits in this bag. For travelers, Europe is casual. For warmth, layer it. In the summertime, I've got a light sweater and a light jacket. That works great. In the winter, of course, you'll want to check climate charts and pack for rain and cold. For pants I like to wear these jeans. And, in the Mediterranean where it's so hot and muggy, I bring a light pair of long pants, as well. A pair of shorts doubles as a swimsuit. For shirts: I have a T-shirt, two or three short-sleeved shirts, and I like to bring a couple of long-sleeved shirts. The thing that determines when I need to do my laundry is when I run out of socks and underwear. How many you take is up to you. As far as shoes go, this is really important: bring one pair of well broken-in, sturdy walking shoes. If you bring a second pair of shoes make it a light one. For travel information, this is really important, but don't go too heavy on this-I bring a notebook, the maps I need, couple of chapters ripped out of various guidebooks, and my favorite guidebooks covering the places I'll be traveling. I also have a toiletries kit: very small, just the basics-you're on vacation. And a miscellaneous stuff bag full of odds and ends-you know...the ten essentials that you'll never need. I didn't pack an umbrella. But it rained so I bought one. They're cheap over here. And when I'm out and about, I have my day bag. For women, of course, there are differences and lots of clever tips. But it's just as important to be mobile, and these same basic principles of packing light apply. Now, let me talk about electronics. These days, there' s WiFi just about everywhere. I bring a laptop-because I'm working; a little point and shoot camera works fine for me; I buy a simple cell phone over here-it's handy for calling within Europe; and I bring my smart phone from home. These days, this is an increasingly valuable tool for those on the road. All of these are dual voltage-they work just fine in Europe. Your only concern is physically plugging it into the wall. Your American plug won't work so you need one of two European adapters: in Britain you use the adapter with the three rectangular prongs, and anywhere on the Continent, the adaptor with the two little round prongs works just great. Exploring is part of good travel. Giuliano-who dished up my pasta last night-is taking me on a short hike to the family vineyard. Besides packing light, planning right and learning your communication skills, travel in a way that broadens your perspective. And for me that means connecting with, and learning from friendly locals. Whether you're enjoying happy hour on the Oslo fjord...pulling out all the stops in a grand pipe organ loft...or, eating beyond your comfort zone enrich your experience by, what I call "traveling on purpose:" Experiencing communities in action. Connecting with people whose cultures challenge ours. Joining seekers on the pilgrimage trail. Wherever you venture, let the experience broaden your perspective. And that's my kind of souvenir. Thanks for joining us. Next time we finish our three-part travel skills special with lots more practical tips...in the Swiss Alps, Paris, and London. I'm Rick Steves. Keep on travelin'. Ciao.
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